Catch ya later, Honey Boo Boo. TLC has cancelled her reality show after allegations surfaced that June Thompson, the mother of Alana, A.K.A. Honey Boo Boo, was dating a sex offender.
TMZ reported that Mama June was dating a man who had recently been released from prison after being convicted of child molestation. The victim was an 8-year-old relative of June's.
A TLC statement to Us Weekly said: “TLC has cancelled the series ‘Here Comes Honey Boo Boo’ and ended all activities around the series, effective immediately. Supporting the health and welfare of these remarkable children is our only priority. TLC is faithfully committed to the children’s ongoing comfort and well-being."
But June adamantly denied the claims of a relationship in a video posted to Alana's Facebook page.
"I would never ever ever put my kids in danger. I love my kids too much. That is my past. I have not seen that person in over 10 years and I don't seem to want to see that person."
So, could there be another reason for TLC dropping the show?
The Thompson clan landed a reality show thanks to Alana gaining fame for dropping lines like this one on another TLC show, "Toddlers and Tiaras."
Alana Thompson: "Dolla make me holla honey boo boo."
The show was initially a huge hit for the network but Radar Online reports the recent ratings haven't been so great.
The season four premiere back in June pulled in just 1.73 million viewers. That's a big difference from the 3.21 million the show's most-watched episode pulled in.
Plus, the show has garnered other kinds of criticism for its portrayal of its subjects.
The New York Daily News went so far as to call it "child abuse" because it "made fun of a clueless 7-year-old" back when it first aired in 2012.
The Guardian was similarly harsh, writing, "Honey Boo Boo may pretend to show a sympathetic depiction of its characters, but the editing and framing of the show make it hard to avoid the sense that the cast is being presented not so much as a different class, but practically a different species altogether."
Plus, the stars got some unwanted attention back in June when a Salon writer alleged the editors of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" used some creative editing to make Alana's appearance on the late-night show much cuter than it actually was.
That Salon writer, who was in the audience during the taping, called Alana "a tiny, dimpled monster" saying she even struck her mom during the interview.
We may never know exactly why the show was dropped. But TLC could've been looking to ditch the show anyway, with this latest controversy being an excuse to push it overboard — while also taking the credit for having the best interests of the children in mind.
